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I suspect that the “Media Honeymoon” over the Coalition Government will soon come to an end as the reporting over these past few days seems to signal. Though not, I might add because serious questions are being raised by Government policies, it is not the way the British Media works.

The problem for media people is that they are reactive to events not proactive. “No news”, or even worse, “Good news” is bad for business, there is just no ‘story’ to chase so in the end these “media children” will… Well we all know what the Devil does in making work for idle hands… so, the media will get restless and like children on a journey, keep asking“Are we there yet ?”

Increasingly Petty

Well it is the Summer Holiday period and the media always seem to doze off and reporting degenerates to “Silly Season Specials” a good example being Nick Clegg whilst standing in for Cameron whilst he is away in the States, made a slip up and called the Iraq War ‘illegal’. Whilst it is correct that speaking as a Government Minister, he should not have used the word “illegal”, it must be remembered that the LibDems always opposed the Iraq War so it is hardly a major incident.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/jul/21/nick-clegg-illegal-iraq-war-gaffe

David Cameron criticised over 1940 slip up when he said vis-a-vis the Special Relationship then and during the 1980s, Britain was the “Junior Partner”:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-10719739

As with Clegg, the criticism is misplaced perhaps, even more so. Cameron spoke to both Time Magazine and the Wall St Journal, his aim, to target Right Wing “Decision/Influencers” and through them, the broader American Public. “Mr Numb Nuts” David Miliband made big play of all this “…in 1940 we stood alone…” except not his family, one suspects.

But the real point is, as a former Foreign Secretary, he should really know when to keep his big mouth shut. For all “Plucky Britain Standing Alone” and the “dynamism, industrial ingenuity and support” of the USA in 1942 to 1945, the War in Europe was won on the ‘numbers’ and specifically, by the Russians which is not a message that would go down well in the USA today or indeed, at any time.

From the Past, Another Message…

To my mind, the most amazing military campaign of WWII was the “Pacific Campaign” which was wholly American and led to the surrender of Japan. The British Empire in comparison was driven back to the Indian borders where it remained until the latter stages of the War in the East. Lord Louis Mountbatten’s comment about the 14^th Army was not that they were the ‘Forgotten Army’ but rather that nobody had ever heard of them !

It is important to realise that the US is also and mainly, for the future, a “Pacific Power” and as in the past, Europe is, whilst important, a secondary interest. David Cameron obviously understands this and much of his ‘thrust’ on this visit has been to acknowledge that whilst ‘politely’ establishing quietly, a slightly different relationship going forward, for now and the time being but also, accepting that things may change as situations evolve.

These are all ‘nuances’ and subtle messages but, important ones too because and in truth, the “Special Relationship” does exist, is important to both sides but today as in the past, must remain flexible and openly, subject to the ‘national interests’ of the time.

Not All Journalists

Not all journalists are half wits, whether you agree with them or not, there are some, far too few in my opinion, who try to push ‘out there’ and explore what may well be future stories and events.

Today in The Independent, Robert Fisk wrote an interesting piece on Jordan which is well worth a look and the sub heading, very pointed: “A powerful group of ex-army leaders say their country is being overrun – and they blame King Abdullah”

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-why-jordan-is-occupied-by-palestinians-2032173.html

It must be obvious that as Jews continue to expand on the West Bank by fair means or foul in pursuit of a “Greater Israel”, there will be increasing pressure on Jordan. To be truthful, I would suspect that the seemingly lazy and narrow minded electorate of Israel have already placed themselves in a very bad spot as far as their own future is concerned.

With Egypt on one side with an ageing leader and Jordan on the other, both under increasing internal pressure over their current policies towards Israel and the West with, the USA in particular, the immediate future may well be very fraught.

Good thinking, there may be some faint hope for part of the UK Media, if not the whole !